War Hero

Do we continue to hitch ourselves to a falling star (and continue to mix metaphors)?

Do we (gulp) accept that we need to be closer to Europe, economically, politically and militarily? Perhaps even trying to take more of a leading role. Along the lines of keeping your friends close but your enemies closer I suppose.

Or do we accept that we all love a takeaway and start positioning ourselves closer to the new rising powers while we still can?

LE

LE

At the bottom of the food chain, along with Somalia and Angola, will be England, having blown all the money it's ever made in just 12 years. Scotland, Wales and Norn Iron will be somewhere in the rankings alongside Scandinavia, having been freed from English tyranny as a final gesture by Broon before he was killed by 5,000 bullets from somewhere on a grassy knole outside Parliament.

Adam Smith - 1776 said:

It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.

LE

Without seeing the full report it's tricky to see what they base their conclusions on, I don't doubt their line of thought, but I suspect they're overegged the results somewhat, India and China, although big have a few technical problems, one of which is that they both need to import food just to stand still.

Water supply is going to become another major issue for both countries, China even more so.

Economically I'm not convinced that China could become a major power without some changes, a little noticed chunk of news was the fail in the value of paper for recyling, exported to China for making into cardboard for packing thing in that were sold in the West. China isn't selling as much so needs less cardboard.
I'm of the mind that perhaps China is too dependant on selling to the west for long term economic stability, China doesn't yet sell enough products for us to be dependant upon them, so any belief that China is going to be a major superpower in the next 50 years is remarkably similar to the belief only 20 years ago that Japan was going to be the 21st Century Superpower and possibly as well founded.